Comparison between Teachers’ and Pupils’ Perceptions on Factors Affecting Boy-Child Retention in Primary Schools in Nzega District Council, Tanzania

This study compares teachers' and pupils' perceptions on factors affecting boy-child retention in public primary schools in Nzega District Council, Tanzania.The study targeted all 12 schools with low retention rate below 70%.Respondents included 94 teachers and 221 standard seven boys.Comparative research design was employed.Questionnaires were used to collect data.Means and Standard deviations were used to analyse descriptive data.The Mann-Whitney U test was used to establish whether there was a significant difference between the perceptions of teachers and pupils on school-based and house hold factors on boy-child retention in school.The findings indicate that school-based and household factors had both positive and negative effects on boy-child retention in school.Mann-Whitney U test yielded p-value of 0.595, which is greater than 0.05 (0.595>0.05.).The null hypothesis was accepted because there was no statistically significant difference between the perceptions of teachers and pupils on school-based and household factors affecting boy-child retention.It was recommended that Tanzania Social Action Fund programs should review on how to assist the boy-child, especially those from poor families.Additionally, the government of the United Republic of Tanzania should formulate and enforce laws that protect the boy-child and improve physical facilities in public primary schools and that school lunches be provided and excessive punishments be reduced.